


Underestimated

by vassalady



Category: Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Action, Female-Centric, Ficlet, Gen, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2018-05-13 02:38:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5691490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vassalady/pseuds/vassalady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Janet gets ambushed by the criminals Diamondback, Black Mamba, and Asp.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Underestimated

Janet Van Dyne was not a woman to underestimate.

The dress she had been trying on was ruined, courtesy Diamondback’s throwing diamonds; however, Jan was already wearing her latest Wasp outfit beneath it to see how it fit with finer clothes. She shrunk down to dodge the diamonds as they tore through the dress fabric and flew above the heads of the intruders.

The three villains had caught her by surprise, however. With Diamondback, Jan looked down at Asp and Black Mamba.

“Rachel, isn’t it?” Jan said to Diamondback. “I thought you went straight.”

Diamondback grimaced at her. Jan saw her reach behind her, no doubt for another handful of razor-sharp diamonds. “Heroing doesn’t pay the bills,” Diamondback said, “and not all of us have trust funds to fall back on.”

“If you’re in some kind of trouble-” A flash of light followed by a brief burst of pain in her side cut Jan off. She twirled to avoid the following venom blasts Asp shot from her hands. 

The first blast had only grazed her side, but Jan knew Asp’s venom shots could numb. Already, the pain was gone, replaced by a feeling of something thick moving through her system. It hampered Jan’s speed, but she wasn’t out yet. 

She fired off several shots of her own Wasp’s sting, her hands lighting up with the energy. It was exhilarating to feel the power collect at her fingertips and then burst forth, quick and sharp. Jan didn’t have much to compare the feeling to. It made her feel giddy, though, as she soared through the air, rounding behind each woman and aiming a shot at each of them.

A flash of movement in her peripheral vision gave her enough warning to drop to avoid the diamonds. She hadn’t expected the dark mist that quickly enveloped her.

The darkness closed in around her. It squeezed every inch of her, pushing in. Her head pounded, and she couldn’t draw in a breath. She heard voices, but they sounded distant. She knew they were right next to her, but there was nothing except the dark pressure around her.

But Black Mamba had underestimated Janet’s strength.

With a cry, Jan pushed out and forward; she broke free. Without slowing, she barreled into Black Mamba, knocking her flat on her back.

She spiraled to the side, just avoiding a barrage of blasts and diamonds. Jan returned fire, knocking Diamondback’s weapons from her hands. She gathered more energy, brought her hands together, and pulled in more energy until she began to shake with it. She raised it over her head and let it loose. It struck Diamondback in the center of her chest and knocked her back into Asp.

Jan wasted no time. While the three were still disoriented, she bound them so they couldn’t escape, and put in a call to to the police and to the Avengers.

“This wasn’t personal,” Diamondback said as they waited for the authorities. She sat on the floor with Black Mamba and Asp on either side of her.

“Sure,” Jan said, arms crossed. “I get it. Hired hit, was it? Killing’s not your style, so just a capture, I assume?”

Diamondback looked away.

“We don’t know who it was, so don’t bother asking,” Black Mamba cut in.

Jan sighed. She squatted so she would be eye level with them “I can’t speak to your circumstances,” she said, addressing Diamondback, “but for what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I’m luckier than most, I know. But even if I weren’t, I believe I’d still be doing what I am now, because I believe it’s right. I suppose that’s what you have to ask yourself next time.”

“We don’t need your help!” Mamba said. The spite in both her voice and her eyes were clear. Diamondback kept her gaze firmly to the floor. Jan glanced to Asp; Asp looked away.

Jan had served for a long time as chairman for the Avengers, and she had been a superhero even longer. She knew how to take down bad guys, how to catch them. She knew how to avert world disasters, evil robots, and alien invaders. What she didn’t know was how to help those who just wanted to get by.

The police and Wanda arrived at the same time. Jan and Wanda stood side by side as they watched the police escort the three away. Jan sighed as she watched the cars drive off.

“You okay?” Wanda asked, a hand on Jan’s shoulder.

“It’s easier when it’s just Ultron, if I’m honest,” Jan said. “I love this, I do, but… It’s hard to help some people.”

Wanda nodded. Jan could only guess at her thoughts; Jan remembered long ago how the Scarlet Witch had once been just a petty villain herself. Wanda’s insight would be valuable, but she wouldn’t ask for it if Wanda was not willing to share.

Jan decided she’d call Jennifer and see if she was up to taking on a few clients, and, when they got out, if any wanted to try their hand at working with Van Dyne Fashions, Jan would welcome them. She doubted any would take her up on the offer, but it was the least Jan could do.

\--

“Ms. Van Dyne?” Maria asked, peeking her head into Jan’s studio.

Jan, who hadn’t been able to focus on her latest drafts for an upcoming Milan show, was grateful for the interruption.

“Yes?”

“There’s a group here to see you, they said you were expecting them?”

Jan was bewildered. She’d specifically set aside today so she could focus on finishing these designs. “Did they say who they were with?”

“They gave their names. Rachel Leighton, Tanya Sealy, and Cleo Nefertiti?”

Jan thought for a moment. The names sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place-

Ah, yes. Now she remembered. It had been several months since they’d attacked her. Jan had given up on them.

“Send them in, please, Maria, and if you have a few applications handy, I’d appreciate those.”

Maria nodded and ducked out of the studio.

Jan leaned back in her chair. Well, this was unexpected. It looked like Jan had been underestimating them.


End file.
